Allegany (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Allegany is a town
in Cattaraugus County
, New York, United States
. The population was 8,230 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Allegany is on the south border of the county, west of the City of Olean. There is a village called Allegany
inside this town.
The origin of the name Allegany is uncertain. It may have come from the name of a tribe called Allegewi that lived along the Allegheny River’s banks. It may also be based on an old Native American word meaning ‘lovely’ or ‘beautiful.’
. On March 28, 1851, the name was changed to "Allegany."
In 1836, part of Allegany was used to form the Town of Humphrey
.
A new community to be called "Allegany City" was proposed in 1837 to be built south of the Village of Allegany, but the plan was halted after a planned railroad changed its route.
, the town has a total area of 71.7 square miles (185.6 km²), of which, 71.2 square miles (184.3 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (0.68%) is water.
The Allegheny River
flows through the town. The Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86
and New York State Route 17
) passes across the town. New York State Route 417
(Old State Road) parallels the Expressway, and New York State Route 16
passes through the southeast corner of the town.
The south town line is the border of McKean County
, Pennsylvania
.
and Otto in McKean County
, Pennsylvania. The Towns of Hinsdale
and Olean
form the east boundary. Allegany shares its north boundary with the Town of Humphrey
and its west boundary with the Towns of Great Valley
and Carrollton
.
of 2000, there were 8,230 people, 2,599 households, and 1,764 families residing in the town. The population density
was 115.6 people per square mile (44.6/km²). There were 2,862 housing units at an average density of 40.2 per square mile (15.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.40% White, 0.79% Black or African American
, 0.33% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races
, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 2,599 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 26.6% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $38,818, and the median income for a family was $45,972. Males had a median income of $36,801 versus $24,420 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,667. About 3.1% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, New York, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 8,230 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Allegany is on the south border of the county, west of the City of Olean. There is a village called Allegany
Allegany (village), New York
Allegany is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,883 at the 2000 census.The Village of Allegany is by the east town line of the Town of Allegany, west of the City of Olean.St...
inside this town.
The origin of the name Allegany is uncertain. It may have come from the name of a tribe called Allegewi that lived along the Allegheny River’s banks. It may also be based on an old Native American word meaning ‘lovely’ or ‘beautiful.’
History
The town was first settled around 1820 by Ebenezer Reed who moved from Connecticut. The Town of Allegany was formed on April 18, 1831 as the "Town of Burton" from a part of the town of Great ValleyGreat Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
. On March 28, 1851, the name was changed to "Allegany."
In 1836, part of Allegany was used to form the Town of Humphrey
Humphrey, New York
Humphrey is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 721 at the 2000 census. The town is named after politician Charles Humphrey....
.
A new community to be called "Allegany City" was proposed in 1837 to be built south of the Village of Allegany, but the plan was halted after a planned railroad changed its route.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 71.7 square miles (185.6 km²), of which, 71.2 square miles (184.3 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (0.68%) is water.
The Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
flows through the town. The Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
and New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
) passes across the town. New York State Route 417
New York State Route 417
New York State Route 417 is an east–west state highway located in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It begins at exit 20 of the Southern Tier Expressway in the city of Salamanca and ends at a junction with NY 415 in Painted Post, west of the city of Corning...
(Old State Road) parallels the Expressway, and New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
passes through the southeast corner of the town.
The south town line is the border of McKean County
McKean County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,936 people, 18,024 households, and 12,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 21,644 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Adjacent towns and areas
Allegany is bordered to the south by the townships of FosterFoster Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania
Foster Township is a township in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,566 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
and Otto in McKean County
McKean County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,936 people, 18,024 households, and 12,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 21,644 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania. The Towns of Hinsdale
Hinsdale, New York
Hinsdale is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,270 at the 2000 census. The town was named after another location: Hinsdale, New Hampshire....
and Olean
Olean (town), New York
Olean is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,029 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Latin word "oleum" due to the discovery of crude oil in nearby Ischua....
form the east boundary. Allegany shares its north boundary with the Town of Humphrey
Humphrey, New York
Humphrey is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 721 at the 2000 census. The town is named after politician Charles Humphrey....
and its west boundary with the Towns of Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
and Carrollton
Carrollton, New York
Carrollton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. The name comes from an early settler.The Town of Carrollton is on the south border of Cattaraugus County...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,230 people, 2,599 households, and 1,764 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 115.6 people per square mile (44.6/km²). There were 2,862 housing units at an average density of 40.2 per square mile (15.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.40% White, 0.79% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.33% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 2,599 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 26.6% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $38,818, and the median income for a family was $45,972. Males had a median income of $36,801 versus $24,420 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $15,667. About 3.1% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the Town of Allegany
- AlleganyAllegany (village), New YorkAllegany is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,883 at the 2000 census.The Village of Allegany is by the east town line of the Town of Allegany, west of the City of Olean.St...
– The Village of Allegany in the eastern part of the town on NY Route 417 and south of the Southern Tier Expressway. - Allegany Reservation – Part of the reservation is in the town.
- Chipmunk – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the southwest part of the town at the intersection of Chipmunk and Flatstone Roads and the confluence of Chipmunk and Flatstone Creeks. - Crestview – A hamlet at the north border of Allegany village.
- Four Mile – A hamlet near the east town line on NY Route 16New York State Route 16New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
. - Harrisburg – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town.
- Knapp Creek – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town on NY Route 16.
- Nichols Run – A hamlet on NY Route 45 by the south town line near Harrisburg and Knapp Creek.
- Pumpkin Hollow – A location near the north town line.
- Rock City – A location east of Four Mile on NY Route 16. The name is based on an unusual geological formation of rocks, Rock City Park, which is open to the public for an admission fee. The House at 520 Hostageh RoadHouse at 520 Hostageh RoadHouse at 520 Hostageh Road, also known as Lyndhurst, is a historic seasonal cottage located at Rock City in Cattaraugus County, New York. It was built in 1903 and is a -story Swiss Cottage wood-frame dwelling with hipped roofs and an L-shaped front porch...
is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
– A college south of Allegany village. - Wing Hollow – A location northwest of Allegany village. Location of a long defunct ski operation, but the trails are still visible on the hillside.